She’s also become quite adept at using the words “bored” and “boring.” Thursday afternoon, after I had spent 45 minutes standing around while Cera reunited with friends from her old day care, it took only 60 seconds or so into a visit with my former co-workers for her to utter, “I’m bored. Can we go home now?” – followed for the next 15 minutes by numerous variations of the same phrase.

What is happening to my polite – not to mention innocent – little girl?

My son also has a new favorite word: “because,” usually followed by “I want to” or “I don’t want to.”

For example, take these two recent conversations:

Me: Why are you licking my arm? (This also occurred while visiting my former workplace.)

Anthony: Because I want to (followed by a series of giggles and more attempts to lick my arm).